In brief
During the final phase of South Africa's local government elections, officials recorded 20 deaths in election‑related incidents and 7 arrests amid rising political violence. Analysts link the clash to the lucrative nature of municipal posts, with a ward councillor earning over 25,000 rand a month. President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for justice while auditors note only 39 municipalities achieved clean audits.
Johannesburg – As South Africa entered the final, special voting phase on Monday ahead of Wednesday’s municipal elections, security officials announced that 20 people had been killed in incidents linked to political representatives, party members and supporters, and that seven arrests were made in connection with these killings.
Tebello Mosikili, chairperson of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure, said Sunday that the deaths underscored the need for a peaceful and secure electoral environment.
We remain particularly concerned about incidents involving the loss of life during the election period.
Independent monitoring groups back the security figures, with the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime recording at least 43 people killed in 45 political attacks between January and September, compared with 23 the previous year.
Political analysts argue that the violence ties strongly to the economic rewards of municipal office. Ward councillors draw a base salary of more than 25,000 rand (about US$1,500) a month, a substantial income given the country’s 33 per cent unemployment rate and a national minimum wage near 6,000 rand.
Julian Rademeyer, author of the GI‑TOC October report on political killings, said that local competition has become increasingly intertwined with economic interests.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, campaigning in KwaZulu‑Natal, called for those responsible for political killings to face justice, stressing that such violence had no place in a democratic society.
Beyond security concerns, electoral officials note that the elections coincide with a growing public focus on municipal governance and fiscal management. In June, Auditor‑General Tsakani Maluleke reported that 39 of South Africa’s 257 municipalities had achieved clean audits for the 2024‑25 financial year, while none of the country’s eight metropolitan municipalities achieved the same status.